The communication system users use various devices (e.g., a cellular telephone or pager) to communicate with other communication system users within the communication system. Each communication process involves an exchange of messages between the communication system user and the system. Registration is one of these communication processes. Each registration process involves an exchange of registration messages between the communication system user and the system. Registration may also be used to keep track of the subscriber so that the system knows where to send messages that indicate an incoming call for that subscriber.
A communication system user in a mobile communication system occasionally performs a re-registration procedure which can be used to inform the system of the communication system user's current location. Location registration is required to enable the system to contact the communication system user when an incoming communication attempt is destined for the communication system user. As the communication system user moves, the communication system user must occasionally re-register with the system. The speed at which users move can provide additional problems.
The speed at which some vehicles travel is particularly troublesome when groups of communication system users which are located on a mobile vehicle (e.g., communication units on-board an airplane) individually register with a system. Prior-art mobile group registration procedures require each communication system user to register individually with the system. This lack of flexibility results in a large amount of non-revenue generating work which has to be performed to provide communication services to users located on-board high speed vehicles such as airplanes and high speed trains.
What is needed are a method and apparatus for providing communication services to users who are located in high-speed mobile vehicle. Further needed are a method and apparatus to reduce the amount of non-revenue bearing work which has to be perform by a system to support communication services with high-speed users.